Manually-operated clothes drying apparatus

ABSTRACT

A clothes drying apparatus includes a frame having an upper end and a lower end, configured to support an article of clothing. An airflow path is defined within the frame. A number of exit holes are spaced about the frame and connected to the airflow path. An airflow generating device is configured to blow air through the airflow path and out the exit holes, thereby increasing airflow on the article of clothing, enhancing the drying of the article of clothing. The air may be heated. The frame may further include interconnected arm, vertical and horizontal members, connected to the airflow path, further enhancing the airflow over the article of clothing. Valves may be included to selectively close the airflow path to the arm members or upper end of the frame. The frame may further include a hook to hang the frame from a surface, such as a shower bar.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/000,734, filed on May 20, 2014, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to drying clothes. More specifically,the present invention relates to a manually-operated system for dryingclothes at home for those who do not have a full dryer appliance intheir home. More specifically, the present invention relates to dryingsmall loads of laundry in the home thereby obviating the need for takingclothes to a laundry facility, such as a Laundromat.

There is a need for a solution for drying small loads of laundry inbetween trips to a laundry facility for those who do not have full dryerappliances. There are 320 million people in the United States living in120 million households. Approximately 65% own their own homes andapproximately 35% rent. Thus, there are approximately 42 million peoplewho rent and 35,000 coin operated laundries in the United States with 90million people depending on them.

It is well know that going to a laundry facility, such as a Laundromat,is inconvenient, frustrating and expensive. As a result, there is ademand for a simple, inexpensive device, such as a manually-operateddevice and system that can dry a small load of laundry in between tripsto a laundry facility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art clothesdrying systems. In addition, it provides new advantages not found incurrently available systems and overcomes many disadvantages of suchcurrently available systems.

The invention is generally directed to the novel and uniquemanually-operated clothes laundering system. A manually-operated dryingapparatus are provided in accordance with the system of the presentinvention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide amanually-operated clothes washing system that is suitable for dryingsmall loads of laundry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features which are characteristic of the present invention areset forth in the appended claims. However, the invention's preferredembodiments, together with further objects and attendant advantages,will be best understood by reference to the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the clothes drying apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clothes drying apparatus of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3. Is an exploded view of the clothes drying apparatus

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clothes drying apparatus in use; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view through line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-5 show the drying apparatus of the present invention generallyat 100. As will be described in greater detail below, the dryingapparatus 100 includes a frame having an upper end and a lower end,configured to support an article of clothing thereon. An airflow path isdefined within the frame. A number of exit holes are spaced about theframe and connected to the airflow path. An airflow generating device isconfigured and arranged to blow air through the airflow path and out theexit holes, thereby increasing airflow on the article of clothingsupported by the frame and enhancing the drying of the article ofclothing.

More specifically, the frame 102 includes two sections interlockingsections 102 a, 102 b (best seen in FIG. 3) that form a tubular networkinside the frame creating an airflow path (represented by arrows). Theframe 102 also has an upper end 102 c and a lower end 102 d. The frame102 is configured to support an article of clothing 104 thereon. A hook106 is preferably extends from the upper end 102 c of the frame 102 forhanging from a support structure, such as a shower curtain rod in abathroom, for instance. The frame 102 includes a number of exit holes108 spaced about the frame 102 and interconnected with the airflow path.The airflow path may be formed by number tubular members of the frame102.

An airflow generating device 110 includes a housing 112 integrated intothe lower end 102 d of the frame 102. The housing 112 contains a blower114 configured to direct air into the airflow path of the frame 102. Theblower 114 may include a heating element, enabling the blower to blowheated air.

The frame 102 may include arm members 116 for insertion into the sleevesof garment for enhanced drying of the garment. The arm members 116 mayinclude a number of exit holes 108 spaced about thereon. Valves 118 maybe included in the frame to shut off air flow to the arm members 116when a sleeveless garment is being dried, thereby concentrating moreairflow onto the garment and enhancing the drying action. Valves 118 maybe of any configuration, such as a baffle-type valve where rotation ofthe valve causes an internal baffle to control the flow of air, asdesired.

The frame 102 may include several interconnected cross members, such ashorizontal and vertical members 120, 122, which form a part of theairflow path and may include exit holes thereon. The horizontal andvertical members 120, 122 may further be interconnected forming a gridwithin the frame 102. Air, heated or not, is directed through theairflow path, and out of the exit holes for increasing airflow on thearticle of clothing supported by the frame 102, thereby increasing therate at which the clothing dries.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, use of the drying apparatus is shown inuse. The drying apparatus 100 is hung, such as on curtain rod for use asa support. Clothes to be dried, such as damp or wet clothes, are hung onthe drying apparatus 100 in an arrangement, as desired. With valves 118adjusted as desired, the airflow generating device 110 is turned on, tostart the flow of air into the network of tubes of the frame 102,flowing through the airflow path and out the numerous exit holes 108 andas controlled by valves 118. As the air exits through exit holes 108into communication with the clothing, the air assists in the drying ofthe clothes. When drying is complete to the satisfaction of the user,the airflow generating device 110 is turned off and the clothes areremoved from the drying apparatus 100.

As the exit holes increase in distance from the heat generation source,they increase in diameter, thereby maintaining air pressure eventhroughout the exit holes regardless of distance from the heatgeneration source.

The drying apparatus 100 can be made out of any suitable material. Forexample, plastic is preferably used but any other materials, such asmetals, can be used.

It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changesand modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. All suchmodifications and changes are intended to be covered by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drying apparatus comprising: a frame having anupper end and a lower end, the frame being configured to support anarticle of clothing thereon; an airflow path defined within the frame; aplurality of exit holes spaced about the frame and connected to theairflow path; an airflow generating device configured and arranged toblow air through the airflow path; and whereby air can be directed intothe entrance port, through the airflow path, and out of the exit holesfor increasing airflow on the article of clothing supported by theframe.
 2. The drying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hookconnected at the upper end of the frame configured and arranged to hangthe frame from a support structure.
 3. The drying apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a horizontal member interconnected to the frame. 4.The drying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vertical memberinterconnected to the frame.
 5. The drying apparatus of claim 3, furthercomprising a vertical member interconnected to the frame and horizontalmember.
 6. The drying apparatus of claim 3, further comprising aplurality of exit holes on the horizontal member and connected to theairflow path.
 7. The drying apparatus of claim 4, further comprising aplurality of exit holes on the vertical member and connected to theairflow path.
 8. The drying apparatus of claim 5, further comprising aplurality of exit holes on the vertical member and connected to theairflow path.
 9. The drying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising anarm member extending from the frame configured and arranged to receive asleeve of a garment thereover.
 10. The drying apparatus of claim 2,wherein there are two arm members extending from opposite sides of theframe configured and arranged to receive sleeves of a garment thereover.11. The drying apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a plurality ofexit holes on the arm member and connected to the airflow path.
 12. Thedrying apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of exitholes on the two arm members and connected to the airflow path.
 13. Thedrying apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a valve configured andarranged to close the airflow path connected to the arm member.
 14. Thedrying apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a valve configured andarranged to close the airflow path connected to the two arm members. 15.The drying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a valve configuredand arranged to close the airflow path to the upper end of the frame.16. The drying apparatus of claim 15, wherein there are three valvesconfigured and arranged to close the airflow path to the upper end ofthe frame.
 17. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exit holesincrease in diameter the further away from the airflow generating devicethe exit holes are located.
 18. The drying apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe frame is tubular.
 19. A drying apparatus comprising: a tubular framehaving an upper end and a lower end, the frame being configured tosupport an article of clothing thereon, the frame further having anumber of interconnected, tubular vertical members and horizontalmembers; a hook connected at the upper end of the frame for hanging theframe; an airflow path defined within the frame, horizontal members andvertical members; a plurality of exit holes defined on the frame,horizontal members, and vertical members and connected to the airflowpath; an airflow generating device integrated into the lower end of theframe, configured and arrange to direct air through the airflow path andout the plurality of exit holes, the exit holes increasing in diameterthe further from the airflow generating device; whereby a fluid can bedirected into the entrance port, through the airflow path, and out ofthe at least one exit hole for increasing fluid flow on the article ofclothing supported by the frame.
 20. The drying apparatus of claim 19,wherein the airflow generating device further heats air directed intothe airflow path.